Sheet-metal-working machine



5 Sheets- Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

N. JAMES & F. RUST. SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE.

No. 588,436. Patented Aug. 17,1897.

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N. JAMES 8v E. RUST.

. SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 17,1897.

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(N0 Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3. N JAMES 8v E RUST SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE.

No. 588,456. Patented' Aug. 17,1897.

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No. 588,436. Patented Aug. 17, '1897.

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SHEET METAL WORK MACHINE. y No. 588 436 ented Aug. 17,1897.

Lb Ga i UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NAPOLEON JAMES AND FRANK RUST, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHEET-METAL-WORKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of I-.ette'rs Patent No. 588,436, dated August 17, 1897.

Application filed February 27, 1896. Serial No. 581,002. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concer/e:

Be it known that we, NAPOLEON JAMES and FRANK RUST, citizens of the United States, residing in Allegheny, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet- Metal-Vorking Machines, of which the following is a specification. l p

Our invention relates to machines for sheetmetal working; and it consists of the hereinafter describedv hydraulic stamping and shearing machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is an elevation of the machine complete. Fig. 2 is a top view, the main Water-tank and tubing above the line 2 2 in Fig. l being removed. Fig. 3 is a top view of the operating-parts from line 3 3 in Fig. l downward. Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail, a plan of the mold, the upper plate having been removed to showthe trimmingcutters. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section showing the cutter in its setting. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of the mold. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the die, and Fig. 8 is a top view of it. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail, a vertical section showing the rim-cut` ter in operation. Fig. l0 is a similar view of the cutter receded. Fig. 1l is the plan of the roughly-cut blank of sheet of metal from which a bath-tub is to be pressed.

Similar' letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views.

Our improved stamping and shearing machine is constructed with the viewofemploy7- ing the weight of water in an elevated tank for operating the die pressing a sheet of metal into the mold. The water in the tank is controlled by valves operated by steam or vother motive power. The water stored in tank A, elevatedto a high level, is conducted therefrom by six or more tubes a into the receiving-tank B. The outlet-tubes a of tank A are controlled by spherical valves o, suspended from levers Z and la and fulcrumed lto the tank A. Valves o are connected by rods bor to the operating mechanism and controlled from below. pended below the tubes a by wire ropes (or chains) c, passing over pulleys p, pillowed on frame F, and is balanced by counterweights WV, so that when there is no water in the tank Receiving-tank B is sus-- VB the weights W will lift it to its highest position. The bottom of the tank is conically shaped, sloping toward its center, and in the center thereof is secured to it base-plate B, to-Which strut-rod s is secured bybolts uw.

The stamping-die is operated by alternately illing tank B with water from the upper tank A and by emptying it again. Tank B falls when water is admitted into it and forces the Vdie downl with the full weight of the water. Then the operation of the die is performed, the water is exhausted from this lower tank B throughthe two tubes b, set in its bottom and sliding vertically and concurrently with the motion of tank B in lthe stationary tubes hb, and there is no break in the exhaust-tubes in any position of the tank. Valves ob, controlling these exhaust-tubes, are also spherical and suspended on chains co from levers lo, pivoted to the frame F, and these levers Zo are also connected to the operating mechanism and controlled from below. Valves ob can only be open when the tank B is at its lowest position, for when it is raised chains co will be slack and the Valves will sit in their seats, closing the tubes I).

Rollers R, pillowed in brackets rb, secured to the sides of the tank B, guide the motion of the tank along guide-rails T, secured to the sides of vertical posts F of the frame. This frame consists of the vertical posts F, set in substantial foundations and bound together by brace-beams near their tops. Their tops,extending above the brace-beamsf, carry the bearings of pulleys p, carrying wire ropes c, sustaining and moving the tank.

To the base-plate B', provided in the center of the conically-shaped bottom of the tank B, is secured the strut-rod s by screw-bolts xv, and to the other end of this rod is secured the die D, shaped in accordance with the article to be pressed. The lower end of the rod s is formed with a square ange sf,which engages under the collar dc, secured to the die D by bolts.

The stamping mold and block consists of the lower die M proper, supported on legs L, embedded in the foundations of the machine. The mold in the die is larger than the largest desired size of the article to be pressed and is changeable through insertion of linings E to-vary the size of the article produced with- IOO out necessitating a change of the mold-casting. The lining should also be changed when the sheet metal from which the article is pressed is changed in thickness. The bottom m of the mold M is detached from the main casting and rests on the shoulder ms in the casting. The lining em of the bottom m is not attached to the lining E of the sides, but is secured to the bottom and moves vertically with it. The top of the casting M is extended, so as to form a table on which the sheet of metal is placed before it is pressed.

To the under side of the casting M are secured the pulleys ep mp, over which the cords pass, having at theii` outer ends the counterweights w and being attached at their other ends to the plate q, secured to the movable bottom on by the rods n. This plate is provided with rollers r, bearing against the inner edges of the legs L of the casting M and guiding the bottom in its vertical movement. The bottom m is therefore in its most elevated position when there is no weight on the die. Thus when the die descends it will grip the sheet metal between it and the bottom m and will keep it from being forced out of its central and correct position as it descends, and then when the die rises again the weights w will lift the bottom m and force the finished article from the mold.

Vhen it is desired to provide the tub with a at rim 011 which to screw a wooden face, we trim the edge of the sheet metal by a vertical knife, which cuts the edge of the rim smoothly and evenly. The cutting-knife K slides vertically in slot d in the lower side of the die D and is actuated by the rods o, secured to it at intervals along its length;

V These rods o pass vertically through the die D and are provided at their upper ends with the pins OZ, engaging the slot in the end of the lever dl. The knife is kept in its upper position by the spiral spring sp, coiled around the end of the rod o and bearing against the lever dt, lifting it and the knife K. This lever dl is pivoted in the bracket db, secured on top of the die D. The other end of the lever dt is provided with a slot s, in which the pin pl, attached to the rod ro, engages.

Rod ro moves vertically in the bracket br, secured to the side of the die, and is of such a length that when the knife is in its raised position rod fro projects below the edge of the die D and will when the die descends strike v the mold M and slide up the side of the die, thus forcing the knife K downward to cut the material beneath it. lf, however, itis desired to provide the bath-tub with a curved edge, we use the curved lining and die, and then trim the edge thus bent downward by a horizontally-reciprocating knife. In this case the top of mold m is cut lower, and on the upper surface of M slide knives ,7a 75l 7cm 7m, one on each side of the mold, and they join in their forward or cutting motion after having passed about one-sixteenth of an inch beyond the rim. Tongues mt, fitting in the slots 7c3 in the knives 7a, &c., project in the plane of the critters and guide them to make a clean and uniform cut.

Above the knives 7c, &e., is screwed the keeper-plate kp to the mold M, holding them in position, and for removing of the knives for sharpening or other purposes it is only necessary to unscrew the keeper-plate kp and then lift the knives from the mold.

The cutting-dies are actuated by levers sl, secured to and rotating with the shafts S Sa SZ) Sc. These levers st enter into holes 7th of the cutting-dies and force the knives forward to cut the rim of the sheet, separating the part below the die. Shafts S Sa Sb Sc lie in the slots Ss in the mold and are journaled in bearings Sj in these slots. The shaft S, actuating the knife 7c, is rotated by the lever Ze on its end and is provided with the beveled cog-wheels ca cb or segments thereof, gearing with the beveled wheels cc cd, respectively. The wheel cc, gearing with ca, is secured to the shaft Sd and actuates the knife kl. The wheel cd, gearing with cb, is secured to the shaft Sb and actuatcs the knife km,while at the other end ofthis shaft SI) is secured the beveled segment ce. This segment ce gears with the segment of, secured to the shaft Sc, and actuates the knife 7m. Thus all the knives are moved by the lever Ze, which is forced with great power by the wipers csfs, secured to piston-rod cr of the steam cylinder Cc, controlling the exhaustvalves ob of the tank B.

On the foundations, beside the mold M, are placed the two cylinders Ca Ce back to back and each connected by pipes to the steamvalve Va. This valve Va is circular and is controlled by hand. It is provided with a right-angled port leading through the plug. The steam admission and exhaust pipes Bp Ep enter, respectively, at the top and bottom of the valve-case Vc, and the two cylinderpipes pc pd are connected thereto at right angles to said steam admission and exhaust pipes. Thus by turning the cock Va into proper position either cylinder may be placed in connection with the boiler-pipe Bp or with the exhaust-pipe Ep.

The cylinder Ca is provided,'as usual, with a piston-rod Ra. This piston-rod is provided with a pin at its end engaging in a slot in the bell-crank lever bel, pivoted to a standard secured in the foundations, and the other end of the bell-crank lever bcZ is connected to the lever l by the rod Dcr.

Bracket Rb is secured to one side of the piston-rod Ra, and to it is attached the rod R7', running parallel with the piston-rod, but in the opposite direction. This rod is attached to another bell-crank lever bcn, similarly mounted, and operates the lever Zd. Thus the levers Z Za,with the six valves hung therefrom, are actuated by the steam-cylinder Ca. Cylinder Ce is slightly longer than cylinder Ca in order to win the necessary length of stroke to actuate the knives 7c. Piston-rod er of this IOO IIO

cylinder operates the two bell-crank levers bcn hoo, and these are connected to the abovedescribed levers Zfu bythe rods has bot. Thus the exhaust-valves ob, suspended from the levers Zo, are operated by the cylinder Oe. To the side of the rod er are also secured the two wipers es fs, which actuate the lever Ze, controlling the knives lo, &c., as described.

The operation of our machine is as follows: Tank B when empty is in its normal elevated position and the die D above the mold M. On the table of the mold sheet of metal SM, previously cut to the required size, is placed on the table of the mold. When the valve Va is turned to admit steam in the cylinder Goethe six valves U are lifted and admit water into the tank B from the tank A Then tank B descends, pressing the die D down on the sheet metal SM. This is kept in its place by the pressure of the die and by the movable bottom m on each side of it. Then as the die descends farther the sheet metal is pressed into the mold M and drawn and pressed into the desired form. Then the steam is exhausted from the cylinder Ga and the weight of the parts closes the admission-valves v. The press is allowed to remain in this position until the sheet of metal is set. Then the steam is admitted into the cylinder Ce, forcing the trimming-knives forward and at the same time opening the exhaust-valves '0b. The water flows then into a subterranean tank, whence it is lifted again by pressurepumps into tank A. Tank B when emptied rises and draws die D from the mold, and at the same time t-he weights w force the movable bottom m upward and lift thereby the finished article from the mold. The steam is then exhausted from the cylinder Ce and the machine is ready for another operation.

We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The hydraulic apparatus for operating a stamping and shearing machine, comprising a stationary storage-tank for water, a sliding tank, having -a conical bottom, suspended underneath the storage-tank, a base-plate secured tothe center of this conical bottom, a flanged truss-rod secured to the base-plate, and adapted to carry the pressing-die on its lower end; outlet-tubes, set in the bottom of the stationary storage-tank, valves closing the inlets of these tubes; outlet-tubes set in the bottom of the sliding tank and sliding in stationary outlet-tubes, valves closing the outlets of the telescopic tubes in the bottom of the sliding tank, levers fulcrumed in standards, secured to the walls of the storage-tank, and connected by chains to the valves; connecting-rods and bell-crank levers, operatin g the levers, and connecting-rods operating the bell-crank levers by the motion of the piston of the engine.

2. In a hydraulic stamping and shearing machine, comprising a stationary storagetank, and a sliding tank movably suspended underneath, outlet-tubes set in the bottom of the storage-tank; outlet-tubes, set in the bottom of the sliding tank, valves closing the outlet-tubes; the combination with levers and connecting-rods for operating the valves, of a steam-engine comprising two combined working cylinders, one of them operating the outlet-valves of the stationary storage-tank and the other, the outlet-valves of the sliding tank, both cylinders being connected to a common steam-inlet and to a common exhaust-pipe, having a two-way cock set in the cross connection of the pipes, and adapted to connect alternately and successively either of the two cylinders with the inlet and with the exhaust pipe, for the purpose of operating alternately and in successive order the valves of the tanks and thereby lifting and lowering the sliding tank, operating the die.

3. In a shearing and stamping machine, the combination with the upper die, of cutters sliding in the grooves provided in the upper die parallel with its edges and in conformity with the shape of the sheet to be cut, and of levers fulcrumed in standards, attached to the die, and of push-rods, connected to the levers, and operating the knives by pushing the levers upward, when the upper die descends on the mold and their motion is arrested by the rim of the mold.

4. In ashearing and stamping machine, the combination with the mold of cutters, shaped in conformity with the shape of the rim of the product and adapted to slide on the surface of the mold and of shafts, pillowed in the mold, of cams set on the shafts and entering into recesses provided in the knives, of levers.

secured to the ends of the shafts, wipers, secured to the connecting-rod of the engine and adapted to engage the levers secured on the ends of the shafts, and by moving them, turn the shafts and thereby to operate the cutters, trimming the edges of the rim of the product pressed in shape by the action of the die.

In witness that We claim the improvements described in the foregoing specication we have signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NAPOLEON JAMES. FRANK RUST.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS RUST, JAS. T. JAMES.

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